REPORT: Edge Transfer Lafaele Reveals Why He Chose MSU

Michigan State made a big impression on edge rusher transfer Anelu Lafaele, who has a whole lot of eligibility and plenty of talent.

Michigan State's head coach Jonathan Smith looks on form the sideline during the first quarter in the game against Indiana on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

When it comes to pass rushers, there is a premium in the transfer portal. Making opposing quarterbacks uncomfortable is the name of the game in modern football, especially with the prevalence of the Big Ten lining up out of the shotgun.

For Michigan State, landing edge rusher Anelu Lafaele in the transfer portal out of Wisconsin was a huge gain. The former four-star prospect was the No. 27 edge rusher in 2024, and he has four years of eligibility left.

For Lafaele, picking Michigan State might have seemed relatively easy. The coaching staff, full of West Coast natives such as Defensive Line coach Legi Suiaunoa, had recruited Lafaele heavy when they were at Oregon State. That interest didn't waver when they went east.

"Coming out of high school, I was being recruited by them at Oregon State," Lafaele told SpartanMag. "Just being able to hear from them out of the portal was awesome. Coach Legi, our relationship is really strong. I just felt like I could trust these coaches and trust what they can do with me."

As SpartanMag's Jason Killop wrote, "The Michigan State defensive line coach has deep connections in the state of Hawaii, serving as defensive coordinator at Hawaii in 2017. Suianoa helped the Spartans sign a pair of Hawaii natives in the 2024 Spartan high school recruiting class."

"That was really important,” Lafaele said. “Coach Legi is awesome. He has Kekai (Burnett) and Rustin (Young) here. I effectively grew up with those guys. Rustin and I went to middle school together and I have trained with Kekai forever. Just having that family foundation is awesome.”

At 6-foot-2, 237 pounds, Lafaele will likely fit in Joe Rossi's defense as a standup rush end, which is coached by Chad Wilt. Wilt describes the rush end as the answer to the complex, pass-heavy offensive schemes seen today in college football.

Wilt made a strong impression on Lafaele, and the partnership could end up helping rejuvenate what was an anemic pass rush in 2024.

“Meeting Coach Wilt was awesome,” Lafaele said. “Coach Wilt has to be one of the best coaches out there in the country, no doubt about that. He is just a great dude overall. I love that guy already.”

“You can tell how much he cares about building a relationship with his players, rather than just get a product out of you. Just being able to be around a new coach that is not just going to help me grow as a player, but help me grow as a person, that is awesome to have.”

Michael France is Sports Illustrated's Michigan State recruiting beat writer, covering all things Big Ten recruiting for Spartan Nation. Be sure to follow him on Twitter/X@michaelfrancesi for exclusive Spartans recruiting coverage.

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